AAML Mini Drabbles
by blythe dragon
Summary: AAML all the way! Just some mini drabbles, mostly conversational, between Ash and Misty. May become part of full length stories at some point.
1. Chapter 1

I can't seem to get a full AAML story done, but I _do_ have several ideas floating around in my head that I wanted to get out, and here they are. Perhaps at some point I'll include one or more of the following mini drabbles in a full length story - ah, such a dream! Enjoy yourselves, fellow followers of AAML. (High rating 'cause of a few choice words. Better to be safe than sorry.)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the following: Pokemon, Mindless Self Indulgence (or any of their songs), Youtube, Reese's Pieces, Azumanga Daioh, or Ouran High School Host Club. This probably means that I don't have a life and need to get out more. I could be wrong, however.

* * *

**Conversations 1**

"You did what to who for how many Ho-Ohs?"

"…"

"What?"

"…really, Ash?"

"It was the best I could come up with at the time."

"So that's your excuse, then?"

"It's not an excuse! It really was the only thing I could think of. At the time."

Misty glanced at Ash skeptically. "You know what that says about your imagination, don't you?"

Ash heaved a sigh, crossing his eyes momentarily. "No, Misty. Why don't you tell me?"

She grinned impishly. "Don't wanna."

"Mistyyyy!" Ash groaned. "Then why'd you bring it up?"

Pikachu chose that moment to wander through the room, sporting a silver link chain and a black cap placed backwards on his head, uttering, "Pika pi chu. (Rock the projects.)" He then stopped, raised up on his haunches, gave a peace sign with his right front paw, then sauntered out of the room.

"…"

"…"

"I _told_ you to stop letting Pikachu watch those YouTube videos."

"I know, I _know_."

"And if I catch him trying to teach Togepi how to say 'Bitches love me,' you're going to get _such_ a pinch."

"Er, okay?"

"You're not gonna like where I pinch you, either."

"…zoinks."

* * *

**Temper, Temper**

"That hair-trigger temper of yours leaves a lot to be desired."

"I wouldn't _have_ a hair-trigger temper if you'd quit doing stupid things that set me off!"

Ash made a tsk-ing sound. "See? That's exactly what I'm talking about."

Misty put her face in her palms, groaning. She didn't know if she should just scream in frustration or proceed straight to tearing her hair out. Peeking through her fingers, she glanced at the boy sitting across from her. Ash was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, with a smug grin on his face. Misty began to laugh, unable to help herself.

"Ketchum, you'll be the death of me yet."

* * *

**Voiceless**

"What's that, Mist? I can't hear you."

_You rotten sneak – you know I lost my voice and can't talk!_

"You'll have to speak up now, or forever hold your Reese's Pieces."

Swallowing a soundless chuckle, Misty glared at Ash and spread her hands. _Does it look like I'm holding any Reese's Pieces?_

Ash grinned cheekily. "You didn't speak up," he said in a sing-song.

The voiceless water Pokémon trainer threw up her hands in disgust. _You're impossible!_

"I know."

* * *

**How's My Driving?**

"…"

"We're here, Ash, so you can let go of the dashboard."

"…did we make it in one piece? I'm too afraid to look."

"Hardy har har. Are you trying to say something about my driving abilities, Ketchum?"

"Let's just say you might want to consider a career change from water Pokémon trainer to race car driver."

"Now you're being silly."

"Am I? _I_ wasn't the one who took that turn at sixty miles an hour."

Misty shrugged. "I like to drive fast. Nothing wrong with that."

"Really." Ash snorted. "You might also think about NOT watching Azumanga Daioh before we have to drive somewhere."

Misty blinked. "Why?"

"I just don't think it's part of proper driving etiquette to yell out the window 'Losers! Losers!' to people who are actually driving the speed limit. How you managed not to get a ticket is beyond me."

"Well…maybe you have a point."

"Not to mention it unnerves me every time we get in the car that you just _have_ to say 'Yukari-mobile, GO!'"

"All right, already! Yeesh."

* * *

**Conversations 2**

"Way to go, Romeo."

"Romeo who? You know I don't read those trashy romance novels you're so into, Misty."

"You're such a dork brain, Ash!" Misty laughed. "_Romeo and Juliet_ is classic literature – a love story for the ages! Besides," she continued, cocking an eyebrow, "how would you know if those romance novels I read are trashy or not?"

"I flipped through one of 'em once. While it was highly educational in some parts, most of it was bo-ring. Guy meets girl, they fall in love, they have a falling out, they get together in the end anyways. It's always the same old formula," Ash explained loftily.

"Uh-huh. You sure you just 'flipped through' one once?"

"Well…I might have read most of one – one! – at some point. I wanted to see what you found so interesting about 'em."

"I'll be the first to admit that those stories aren't really based in reality, but that's the whole point. Women read romance novels to satisfy their inner romantic cravings."

Ash looked skeptical. "I thought that's what chocolate and chick flicks were for."

"Tsk. You've got a lot to learn about how women think, Ash m'boy."

"Why would I want to? It's enough to know that you guys are unpredictable and more than a little crazy. What else do I need to know?"

Misty grinned wickedly. "Now _there's_ a question that's just begging to be answered literally, with lots of examples thrown in for good measure." Misty's face took on a sultry, teasing look. "However, I'll restrain myself at this time, since we're having such an interesting conversation."

"Gee, thanks…I think." Ash scowled. "Why do I have this sinking feeling that you're teasing me and I don't know it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Right. I'm calling shenanigans."

* * *

**Host Club Hijinks**

~* _What if Ash saw Misty like Tamaki sees Haruhi? _*~

"There's my darling daughter!"

*WHAP!*

"I am NOT your darling daughter!"

"Mom, Misty is being rebellious!"

"Just because I wear an apron occasionally doesn't mean you can call me Mom."

(**A/N:** Betcha can't guess who said the last line... xD )

* * *

_Now for some non-conversational story blurbs:_

One-sided love can be a dangerous thing. Living with bottled up emotions, day after day, starts to add up after a while; however, sometimes a girl has to weigh the risks against the potential rewards. My name is Misty Kasumi Waterflower, and this is my story.

* * *

Nobody seemed to realize how tough a job Misty had travelling with two guys. She constantly had to be the balance – one hand firmly grasping Brock's ear as he indulged in his latest round of indiscriminate flirting, and her other hand wielding her trusty mallet, which happened to be her best method of keeping Ash Ketchum's ego in line.

It was tiring, to say the least.

* * *

Sensible. That's generally how Misty saw herself – sensible and down to earth. She could admit to herself that she wasn't always logical – she had a romantic streak just like other girls her age, for instance – but she knew she could be counted on not to lose her head during a crisis.

Good ol' sensible Misty K. Waterflower, that was her.

So why did she manage to almost always misplace the sensible part of her nature when it came to Ash Ketchum?

Ash wasn't one to contemplate deeply upon himself, but he knew he could be described as outgoing.

…okay, so maybe headstrong and volatile would be more accurate, but why split hairs?

He lived for the moment. Especially moments full of adventure and companionship. There was nothing better to him than striking out on an unexplored road, on the way to whatever adventure awaited round the next bend. Battles, badges and Pokémon were all that Ash needed to be fulfilled…or so he thought.

* * *

...and that's all she wrote! Ideas, suggestions, and comments are welcome. ^_^


	2. Chapter 2

**Lookie here - I managed to make more AAML tidbits! Will wonders never friggin' cease. XD The following bits are all over the place as far as drabbles go (and some of 'em are reallyREALLY short; don't you just love one-liner quotes?), but they all deal with my ideas for Ash and Misty, so...here they are.**

**Yeah.**

* * *

**Random Quotes**

"Bike...what is this bike of which you speak?"

"Tomboys can fall in love, too."

"I laugh in the face of logic!"

"I can see it now – 'Well, Officer Jenny, it's like this…'"

"You don't need your best friend holding you back because her love for you exceeds the boundaries of being just friends…"

It was a dull ache she had learned to ignore. "I don't need saving, Ash. You aren't the 'Chosen One' needing to come save my life!"

* * *

**Tantalizing Tidbits**

Misty is flabbergasted when Ash hints that he'd like to take their friendship to the next level. Since when did he ever notice that she was a girl? And how does she really feel about that irresponsible, headstrong, oblivious Pokémon trainer who owes her a new bike?

* * *

"Don't you dare dictate to me who I can and can't date, Ketchum! You-" she broke off, horrified about what she'd almost said out loud. _You had your chance._

* * *

The sadness he sensed within her was deep and unfathomable, like a still pool of water in a hidden glade. She hid it well, as she always hid her inner emotions, but he knew her too well to be fooled by the mask of normality she was currently wearing.

* * *

"Ash, you are such a putz."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"That you're a putz, you putz."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

* * *

Misty was a lot of things to Ash. Confidante, coach, a wall of support when he needs it…'best friend' was what he called her, but what she did for him encompassed so much more than that.

"Look at how many times you kept my ego in line!"

"Well, it wasn't often enough if you can say _that_ with such a cheeky grin on your face."

* * *

Unrequited love – that's what it's all about, isn't it? But when the longing to love and the fear of that love being rejected is prevalent on both sides, the most common result is also one of the most obvious – a big ol' mess ensues before resolution can happen.

* * *

**Words Aren't Enough**

"The one for you is everything I'm not."

"Misty, that's not true!"

"Isn't it?" She smiled sadly. "You're everything I've ever wanted, but who I am, what I can offer you, is not enough for you. I've tried to show you what I feel, but I've never had the courage to say it out loud 'til now." Misty toyed with her water glass and looked away.

"Misty, I-" Ash swallowed his frustration at his inability to make the girl sitting across from him understand and believe that she was all he ever wanted and more. Why wouldn't the right words come to him?

"I'm sorry." Misty stood up. "I've ruined our reunion, haven't I? I'll-I've got to-" she broke off, battling back tears of embarrassment.

_If she leaves now, I'll lose her forever. The hell with that!_ Ash also stood up, grabbing Misty's right hand. "Come with me. Please," he added softly when she hesitated. "I've got something to show you."

Misty lifted her gaze to Ash's face, and to him her tear-filled blue-green eyes never looked more vulnerable. Or more beautiful.

* * *

**Anger**

"How could you do that to me, Misty?"

"Do what, Ash?" she snapped. "Save your ungrateful hide from making a total fool of yourself?"

The look of cold fury on Ash's face made Misty take a step back. Cursing herself for showing any sign of weakness, she jutted out her chin, silently daring him to take a verbal shot at her.

* * *

**Contradictions**

Going by stereotypes, Misty's hair was a dead giveaway that her personality included a hair-trigger temper. That was a given, especially on any day that she had to deal with Ash being headstrong and oblivious. Which was most days. And while she didn't have the freckles associated with most redheads, she did have the roses-and-cream complexion that clearly showed any and every flush and blush that appeared on her face. Her most striking feature, however, were her eyes. It was hard to pinpoint their exact color, as they almost constantly shifted between the pure, deep blue of a calm ocean and the bright, verdant green of a lush tree blooming during springtime.

* * *

**Bedtime Wars**

_So that's how you wanna play, huh?_ Misty smirked. Carefully, oh so carefully, she rolled onto her left side, making sure she didn't jostle Ash's right hand, which was firmly entwined with her left. The fact that their joined hands gave her a warm, pleasant feeling was totally beside the point – or so she told herself. After all, this was war! Or at least a game she planned to win. Draping her right arm over Ash's stomach, she settled back into sleep. _Take that, Ash_.

Once he was sure that Misty had actually fallen asleep, Ash opened his eyes and grinned. _You won't win so easily, Mist. Now it's _my_ turn_. He tried to ignore the knowledge that holding Misty's hand felt right – not to mention that her arm draped across his stomach was giving him feel-good tinglies – as he planned his next move.

* * *

**Misty Night**

As she walked up the path to the front doors of the gym, Ash stood up, absently brushing off the seat of his jeans. There was something different in the way she walked, he mused. She moved in an unhurried manner, with an innate grace he'd never seen in her before.

She stopped a few paces away from him. "H'lo, Ash."

"Misty." Her face was in shadow, due to the setting sun behind her, and he couldn't quite see her expression. The silence, while not uncomfortable, was making Ash nervous the longer it lasted. "So, uh – how've you been?"

She stood there a moment longer, just looking at him. Then she stepped forward and grinned, and the intense atmosphere around the two of them dissipated. "Let's sit over there," she gestured to a wooden bench near the front doors, "and I'll tell you all about it."

**Misty Night – Alternate Beginning**

It seemed appropriate somehow that she returned on a night where the fog was soundlessly rolling inland from the coast. The streetlights in front of the gym were reflected in miniature in the droplets of moisture clinging to her hair, giving her a halo that seemed composed of tiny celestial bodies. Ash knew once her hair dried, its sunset radiance would return. He wondered if her fiery personality would return as well.

* * *

Now for my favorite drabbly-type bit:

**Fan Mail**

Misty couldn't believe that she had agreed to help Ash sort out his fan mail – she must have been hypnotized or drugged or something. That she would willingly volunteer to sort through piles and piles of letters and postcards – especially when the mail wasn't even _hers_ – was beyond her ability to understand…until she remembered with startling clarity exactly when she had offered to help (two months ago) and exactly what she had said when she saw Ash getting frustrated from trying to juggle his training, his duties as a Pokémon Master, and answering his fan mail:

"You look a little overwhelmed, Ketchum. I'll help you with your fan mail, okay?"

She sighed. What was she thinking?

Regardless, she _had_ offered, and Ash had gratefully accepted her help, so there was nothing for it. She didn't welsh on promises, or on an offer of help she had freely given. _Besides,_ she mused, slitting open a violet envelope, _Ash is my best friend, and I couldn't let him stress himself out over this._ Not to mention the fact that he truly appreciated all the fan mail he was getting, and that he wanted to answer each and every letter, had tugged at her heart and reminded her how much she admired his generous nature.

_But then again,_ she thought, scowling at the letter she had just pulled out of its envelope, _sometimes I wish he'd decided_ not _to answer any of his fan mail. Especially letters like this._

Dearest Ash,

I'm blushing as I write this _(I just bet you are._), but I MUST tell you how I feel before I lose my nerve! (_Touch of melodrama in this one._) When I saw you smile at me – just me! – after your glorious victory at the Viridian City Gym (_How do you know he was smiling at "just you?" There were tons of people crammed into that place – besides, Ash smiles at_ everybody.), my heart just about burst out of my chest! (_Now you're getting a _little _gory._) I knew right then that you and I were destined to be together forever! (_Gee, like I haven't heard _that_ one before._) I just love the way your gentle russet-colored eyes gleam so happily, and the way your ebony locks shine in the sun!

Whoa. Hold the phone. Asides from using flowery prose to describe Ash – _Ash_, of all people – this girl was obviously NOT living anywhere in the realm of reality. Russet-colored eyes? Makes him sound like he's got potatoes for eyes. Ebony locks? Brings to mind shadowy padlocks. Ash's eyes are brown. His hair is black. That was the plain and simple truth of the matter.

* * *

**That's it for now... let's see what - if anything - comes of it, shall we?**


End file.
